Original paintings from a self-taught artist, photography & daily musings

Tag Archives: trying

Hello blog-land! I am happy to say that hopefully, with this post, I will get back on track with my regular blog posts. I have been on somewhat of a sabbatical for the last couple of months. I have had a multitude of technical/computer/Wordpress administration issues and problems that have made blogging and posting pictures kind of a drag….a long and arduous drag…and a bit of a creative slump. This makes me sad because blogging has helped to make me accountable over the last year. When I know that I have faithful and regular followers, then I know that I have to keep writing and producing art to share with the world…

Thus the reason for today’s post title: “To Try or Not to Try”….that is the question! It is a question that I sometimes struggle with as I am sure most of do as well. I know I am not alone but the knowledge of this just isn’t enough sometimes.

Making art is a solitary activity and most of the time that is precisely why I paint…to be alone, to be quiet, to be ‘not in my head’, to get lost in the paint and canvas; however, sometimes this solitary act can cause me to feel a deep and palpable loneliness. It is at this point that I believe my subconscious is craving human interaction. It is during these time periods that I have come to learn that it is ALL THE MORE CRUCIAL to get into the studio and start….just START to create and paint. It is the start and the blank canvas that can be daunting. I know you know what I am referring to.

So…..so…I have been working on forcing myself to just begin the process even if I have no conceptual idea where my brush will take me. For me just dipping my brush into a lovely and vibrant color is all I need to find the motivation that is hiding deep within. Just the sound of the brush as it places the oil onto the canvas is enough to hook me…most of the time. Many times what I paint falls deeply short of something beautiful. It may be hideous…but at least it is not a total loss because I am learning to appreciate and love the process of doing….the journey of trying. I have to constantly speak to my inner critic and say, “Just TRY Kimby….TRY!” Silencing my inner demons is one of the primary reasons I began (and continue to) paint in the first place.

Thomas Edison said long ago: “I have not failed 10,000 times, I have successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work.”

I love this quote because it is really speaking to our perception of our unique and individual realities. If we can just learn to tweak our perceptions, our world and life views can be utterly fantastic. This is what I am working on: Trying…trying to shift my perspective from the silent voices of inner criticism to one that embraces the fact that there is really no failure, only growth. It is all in how we look at it.

With that, I am going to share some pictures of some pieces I have been working on of late. I hope you enjoy my paintings. When all was said and done, I love them…I really, really love them.